Slipping?

 

Yes. Have you bothered to check other sources? Why are you so obsessed with Honda? It's a car, a machine.

 

If I was into A-B transportation in this segment, I still think the Fit is the top of the game, but do not deny other models offer more in areas that are probably more important to most owners.

That's what's creating all the Hondacentic sentiment around here. They are still good at what they've always been good at, but people have some options that they can't ignore anymore. Mostly, that you can get "high end" amenities for less, which has been the major movement in the car industry aside from emissions and fuel ratings.

If that is what is truly important to people, then they have been compromising this whole time, and are not actually into the Honda corporate philosophy the way a fan, or domestic market buyer might be. They haven't changed much as a company, which lends itself to some strong qualities I admire, but is easy to criticize them for it. Notice nobody is saying "Honda is finished." All the anger is directed at them wanting to be better than they are. Which is saying that they aren't doing all that bad; they just aren't happy with how the company does things (boo-hoo), which basically is indicative of their core asset not being valuable to the equation anymore (reliability.)

As for loving Honda so much, it's my first one. I've owned cars from 5 others companies, and this one takes the cake on quality.

 

I have had many cars from maybe 6 different manufacturers, and they always go up and down in quality. Look at GM. It was one of the worst, now is very good. Honda was known for great quality, but my current ones, 2 of them, are not as good as the ones from before. Many magazines and other analysts say that they have been on a downward slide, from a small but noticable drop in fit and finish, to really questionable designs. No doubt they are still good, better than most, but once a decline starts, it usually ends up going off the deep end before there is a turn-around. Hope it doesn't come to that. But, the trend to cheap, less than proper fitting parts can extend to the electonics as well. Honda is no longer the leader in MPG, or fun to drive cars. They have stagnated in most areas while even Hyundai has started to make them look questionable. Toyota was on a slide, but is coming back with better designs. Will Honda catch up, leap-frog or get left behind? I am not a died in the wool, Honda no matter what owner. I buy what looks best for me, and on my experience. In a year or so, it will be time to trade-in. Right now, Honda is not on the short list.

 

Fair enough, I don't disagree generally with what you are saying. I think we will have to wait and see about the Korean cars though, and all these direct injection engines from the other manufacturers when it comes to reliability.

I do think the FIT is the leader in its segment, and would not buy any other Honda they offer right now. I would recommend them to people though. The new Acura ILX might have hit the nail on the head honestly. They are already getting better and I do think they will make a comeback.

I say this from time to time on speculation, but overall, Honda's patent on a direct drive motor assist might end up being their golden goose. That's pretty exciting from a technical standpoint. They are currently limited by technology, but when that technology catches up, namely, batteries, then the simplicity of their system is an absolute no brainer to the future of power delivery.

They will have the fastest, most dynamic, highest quality, and efficient electric vehicles in the market, and all their competition will have to pay them to produce their own vehicles. I think this is why they rest on their laurels and stay profitable without the pizzazz right now. Let the competition work out what people want stylistically, then hit them with something that is a "killer app." That's what the Japanese do best. Korea is a blessing in disguise. They are the new Germany, because now the trick for a car maker is to forge ahead in manufacturing techniques instead of car technology.

 

I have recommended the Fit to many people. Still near the top in its segment. The only Honda that is. Electric or hybrid? Not a chance for me.

 

Yes every driver will get different mileage from others. No, driving habits and climate does not explain a separation of 16 mpg between drivers. At least not in my opinion.
Flygirl seems to have the most reasonable explanation I've heard yet on what the problem is with my Fit. I again only got 30 mpg on this last tank, and that was filling up with 93 octane. The other reason I say this, is because as soon as I posted my initial problem, i.e. lower than expected fuel mileage, everyone, I mean EVERYONE on here, seemed to think something wasn't quite right with my car, and offered up a plethora of suggestions. When nothing worked, everyone went from "try this" to "well that's just the way it is, you are crying about nothing." Wrong. I am not crying about nothing when there are hundreds of people getting way over the EPA on this car. The only logical explanation is slippage of QC, which as Flygirl pointed out results in some cars performing brilliantly and others being disappointing. Consider mine in the latter category.

 

I've thought from the beginning that your car was working fine and you just didn't know how to drive it properly. And getting EPA numbers isn't something needing explanation.

 

Perhaps you can enlighten me as to how anyone can NOT DRIVE A FREAKING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CAR PROPERLY. At least to the extent that you get 15 mpg less than everyone else. If you mean, well you have to feather the gas this particular certain way, each time you step down on it, depending on the time of day, direction of the wind, uphill or downhill, and your favorite color, and you have to shift into D3 half the time, and you can't ever, EVER, go over 55 mph, and that will magically add 14 mpg to your drive, then do I really have to point out how much of a complete imbecile you sound like? Your undying devotion to a car and its manufacturer completely shines through in unimaginably stupid statements like the one you just posted. God I wish you would shut up.

And yes, when the general purpose of buying a car that claims terrific fuel mileage is to GET that fuel mileage, and then you don't get it, it needs an explanation. And something FAR better than "well you just don't know how to drive it." I wonder if you emailed the lady in California and told her the same thing? Try again pal.

OK, there is nothing wrong with my car. There, I concede your point. What you don't realize is that, by insisting that, you basically have said that either Honda is a bunch of liars, and/or their QC has dropped, or both, since if that is indeed the way the Fit is supposed to drive, and that's the fuel mileage I'm supposed to get, it's WAY off from the bill of goods they are selling. Feel better now insulting the car company you have obviously sworn loyalty to?? As for me, I could not agree with Flygirl more on most everything she said, save the part about recommending the Fit.

 

Who is the one who sounds like a moron? You get within 10% of the advertised milage. Given different driving conditions, fuel blends, AC usage, etc, there's nothing to explain, other than why you want to believe internet based claims of milage, which are similar to old fishermen talking about that one that got away.

 

Fact is, I am GETTING 33 avereage in town with a Sport auto, and 38-40 highway. Occassionally less, but that is cured with a new air filter. Seems to be real sensitive to that. I don't drive easy and the A/C is always on in Arizona. The mpg indicator seems to be optomistic by about 5%

 

You know, when I first got the Fit I was averaging about 32mpg, which I wasn't thrilled with but accepted it since the EPA rating was around there.

Over the last few years and 40k miles my mpg has went up consistantly to about 36-40mpg, the only mods i've done are K&N panel filter and 0w20 synthetic oil, car's lowered. Maybe those things together might have gotten me an extra mpg or so. The tires I have on it now are heavier and wider than stock, so i'm sure that negated anything I gained though Seat time in the car has taught me the most efficient way to handle traffic, shift, etc. Paying attention to the instant mpg meter really taught me the best way to drive the car, once I learned, I don't really need to look at it that much. Sometimes after a trip I havn't paid attention to it i'll click over to the mpg display and expect nothing special and still wind up with something like 39 mpg.

It seems that alot of people on this board see mpg increases over time, maybe you will too.

AFAIK most of the people getting the higher mpg numbers on this board are driving MTs despite EPA claims that the AT gets better mileage. This has everything to do with driving style IMO, and little to do with the running gear.

I'd like to borrow an AT for a week and see if I can get close to the same mpg as I do with my MT. I'd like it even more if I could borrow seb's mom's AT Fit

 

So in completely different climate, traffic, driver, road, etc, you get different millage. Your point is? If we want to count anecdotes as fact, then see earlier in the thread where in the same climate, roads, traffic, etc as the OP I got 28ish city 35ish interstate.

 

HAHA!! Hog-in-laws. Thanks for the laugh

 

Dude, if you were planning a trip anywhere CLOSE to Arkansas, I would be more than happy to let you borrow this thing for a week and see if you don't get similar numbers. At this point I don't give a rat's crap.

 

So a few days ago, my dash indicator started flashing "check gas cap." I checked it and it was tight, the warning stayed on for a couple of days and then went off. Then yesterday, my malfunction indicator light came on. When I checked the owner's manual, it specifically states that this could be caused by a faulty gas cap, however if you tighten the cap and the problem continues (which it has) that the car needs to be looked at immediately due to "possible emission control failure and decreased fuel mileage."
I haven't taken it in yet, but any guesses as to what might be the cause of all my misery? I am pretty sure we can rule out the "I'm not driving it right" or the "there is nothing wrong with your car you are getting quite acceptable fuel mileage" idiocy.

 

overfilling the gas tank. Probably not related to milage, as your numbers are about right. If you overfill, You might have damaged the charcoal canister. If you don't then you'll need to have the codes pulled. Plausibly you have a bad gas cap as well.

 

OK, to be fair, I don't know how my mom (or dad when he drove it) filled the tank, but what I do is wait for it to click off, and then round it up to the nearest 25 cent increment. I wouldn't think that is enough overfilling to the point where it would push excess fuel down into the charcoal canister, but maybe so.
I didn't have time to look all the way through the manual, but is there any kind of warning about this? I am curious as to whether there is any condition that could keep this from being fixed under warranty.

 

yes, page 199 (09 manual):

 

So the manual says to stop as soon as it clicks. That said, 25c worth of gas isn't a lot of gas now-days and I wouldn't expect it to matter much. I would double check the gas cap seal to start with.

I suppose its possible that if you fill up full and then let the car sit immediately, with the current heat there's enough expansion to get to the EVAP canister, though you'd have to park almost immediately.

I'd get the codes pulled at auto zone, and maybe plan on taking it in for warranty work, especially if you don't overfill. However, unless a hose has fallen off somewhere creating a vacuum leak I would expect milage to be unchanged.